Snap fitting electrical connectors are popular as a means of connecting cables to electrical junction boxes. Typically, the snap fitting connectors include a solid connector body adapted on the leading end to snap into a knockout in a panel or junction box and adapted on the trailing end to receive a conduit or cable to be secured thereto.
Although many snap engagement electrical connectors are available for connecting electrical cables or conduit to electrical junction boxes, they typically include solid connector bodies. When snapped into the knockout, the connector is connected rigidly with respect to the junction box thereby making it impossible to change the orientation of the connector with respect to the box. However, in many situations, such as where space around the box is severely restricted, the installer must change the orientation of the connector with respect to the box, and for a solid connector body this is not possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,739, having common ownership and inventorship as the present invention, presented a connector for fastening electrical metal tubing to junction boxes. The connector included wedge holding tabs integral with and extending from the nose portion of the connector for forming a tight and secure fit with the junction box after the fastening screw was tightened.
Although the electrical connector of U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,739 forms a tight fit with a junction box once the fastening screw is tightened, the tabs, being integral with the nose portion of the connector and formed of a non-resilient die-casting alloy, formed a loose initial fit when first pressed into the junction box. As a result, prior to tightening the connector with the fastening screw, unintended contact with the connector could lead to an undesirable change in orientation of the connector with respect to the junction box.
Therefore, what is needed is a snap engagement electrical connector that may be inserted within a knockout of an electrical box with a firm but adjustable initial fit allowing the connector to be adjusted in orientation or rotated with respect to the electrical box prior to securing the electrical connector with respect to the box.
These and other advantages will become apparent by reading the attached specification and claims in conjunction with reference to the attached drawings.